The present invention is directed to a xe2x80x9cslip coverxe2x80x9d for the cushioning frontal pad in a football helmet, and the like, to reduce sliding friction and the abrasions created by the frontal pad.
In order to be effective, helmets, particularly football helmets, must be tight fitting to ensure the wearer""s safety. Unfortunately, given the abrasive nature of the cushioning padding inside the helmet, this tight fit causes an abrasion on the wearer""s forehead due to the large number of times the helmet is put on and removed. These abrasions are called xe2x80x9ctattoosxe2x80x9d and players frequently attempt to avoid them by use of a bandana or other protective wear to reduce the damage to the skin as the helmet is repeatedly donned and removed.
There are two principle manufacturers of helmets: Riddell and Schutt. The Riddell helmet employs a frontal pad that bears the name TRU-CURVE. It essentially is constructed as a tongue of padding that is folded back on itself into the helmet. The Schutt helmet employs a Schutt AIR Liner front sizer that can have any of a variety of shapes. The liner is an elongated element retained within the front portion of the helmet by VELCRO fabric.
The present invention comprises two different designs of a protective xe2x80x9cslip coverxe2x80x9d that is placed on the frontal pad of these two helmets. The cover is made of a stretchable, high lubricity fabric such as SPANDEX, LYCRA, nylon or RAYON. Most preferably, the protective cover is made of LYCRA which can be slipped over the frontal pad. Its slippery texture enables the helmet to be put on and removed with considerably less abrasion to the skin and eliminates or greatly reduces the occurrence of tattoos.